Gujarat Temples: Somnath, Dwarka, Modhera and How to Visit
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons
Gujarat, from the shore at Somnath to the stepped tank at Modhera.
In Gujarat, one temple has been rebuilt so often that its rebuilding is the story.
Somnath by the sea
The Somnath temple stands on the shore of the Arabian Sea at Prabhas Patan, near Veraval. It is the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the shrines of Shiva as a column of light. Over the centuries it was attacked and destroyed several times, most famously by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1026, and each time it was rebuilt. The present temple was consecrated in 1951, soon after independence. In the evening the aarti, the lamp ritual, is followed by a light-and-sound show, with the sea behind the tower.
Krishna's coast
Up the coast, Dwarka is linked to Krishna, who is said to have ruled a kingdom here. The Dwarkadhish temple rises in five storeys over the town, with a flag changed several times a day. Dwarka is one of the Char Dham, the four sacred abodes at the corners of India. Nearby is the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, and across the water, Bet Dwarka island. Inland, at Dakor, the Ranchhodraiji temple is crowded at the full moons of autumn.
Why people come
Beyond the pilgrim towns, Gujarat holds some of India's finest temple architecture. At Modhera, the Sun Temple of 1026 faces east so that the rising sun at the equinoxes lights its sanctum, and in front of it lies a stepped tank lined with small shrines. In Ahmedabad, the Hutheesing Jain temple of white marble dates from 1848. In Gandhinagar, the Akshardham complex of the Swaminarayan movement is carved from pink sandstone. At Ambaji, near the Rajasthan border, the goddess is worshipped as a sacred diagram, not an image, and Navratri there draws huge crowds.
Getting there
Ahmedabad has the main international airport. Somnath is about seven kilometres from Veraval railway station, and Diu airport is about ninety kilometres away. Dwarka has a railway station and is about three hours by road from Jamnagar, which has an airport. Modhera is about two hours north of Ahmedabad, and is easily combined with the stepwell at Patan.
A temple route along the coast
Five days cover the coast. Start at Dwarka, with darshan at the Dwarkadhish temple and the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga nearby. Bet Dwarka, the island off Okha, is now reached by the Sudarshan Setu bridge. Then drive south along the sea through Porbandar, where Gandhi was born, and Madhavpur, to Somnath.
The Somnath temple trust gives the distance from Dwarka as about 230 kilometres. At Somnath, see the evening aarti by the sea, then Bhalka Tirth and the Triveni Sangam the next morning. Sasan Gir is about 65 kilometres inland if you want to end with the lions.
Modhera and the north in a day
The Sun Temple at Modhera, about 99 kilometres from Ahmedabad, was built in 1026–27 under Bhima I. It is no longer in worship. In front lies the Suryakund, a stepped tank with 108 small shrines. In the assembly hall, twelve carvings of the sun stand for the twelve months, and at the equinox sunlight reaches the inner sanctum.
Combine it with Rani ki Vav at Patan in one long day from Ahmedabad. After dark, a projection show plays on the temple walls; check the schedule before you go.
Temples to know
- Somnath, Prabhas Patan: the first Jyotirlinga, by the sea.
- Dwarkadhish, Dwarka: Krishna's temple, one of the Char Dham.
- Nageshwar, near Dwarka: a Jyotirlinga on the coast road.
- Sun Temple, Modhera: stone, sunlight and a stepped tank.
- Ambaji, Banaskantha: a goddess worshipped as a yantra.
- Ranchhodraiji, Dakor: a Krishna temple of full-moon pilgrimages.
- Hutheesing, Ahmedabad: a white marble Jain temple.
- Akshardham, Gandhinagar: pink sandstone and gardens.
- Shamlaji, Aravalli: an old Vishnu temple on the Meshwo river.
- Bhalka Tirth, near Somnath: where Krishna is said to have left the world.
At Somnath, stay after the aarti. The waves keep time with the bells.
Plan your visit
| Entry fee | The working temples are free. Modhera Sun Temple (ASI): ₹25 for Indian, SAARC and BIMSTEC visitors and ₹300 for other foreign visitors at the counter, as listed in October 2026; check at the gate. |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Somnath: 6 am to 10 pm, aarti at 7 am, noon and 7 pm. Dwarkadhish: about 6.30 am to 1 pm and 5 to 9.30 pm; check before you go. Modhera: 8 am to 6 pm by the ASI listing. |
| Best time | October to March. Janmashtami at Dwarka, and Shravan and Mahashivratri at Somnath, are the busiest days. |
| How to reach | Ahmedabad has the main airport. Somnath station is half a kilometre from the temple, and Dwarka has its own station. Modhera is about two hours by road from Ahmedabad. |
| Where to stay | Prabhas Patan or Veraval for Somnath; Dwarka town near the temple; Ahmedabad or Mehsana for Modhera. |
| Dress and rules | Dress modestly and remove shoes. Phones, cameras and bags are not allowed inside Somnath; use the free cloakroom. Check rules at the gate at Dwarka. |
Questions people ask
What are the Dwarkadhish temple timings?
Darshan is usually from about 6.30 am to 1 pm and from 5 to 9.30 pm, with short closures for offerings. Timings change on festival days, so check before you go.
Are mobile phones allowed in Somnath temple?
No. All electronics, including phones and smartwatches, go into a free cloakroom, and photography is not allowed inside.
How far is Somnath from Dwarka?
About 230 kilometres by road, according to the Somnath temple trust: most of a day with stops at Porbandar and Madhavpur.
Is the Modhera Sun Temple still a working temple?
No. It is a protected monument cared for by the Archaeological Survey of India, open to visitors of every faith with a ticket.
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Written by Muthu, editor of Aura of India. Sources: Shree Somnath Trust: FAQ, Gujarat Tourism: Sun Temple, Modhera, Shree Somnath Trust: Somnath Darshan. Last verified: 13 October 2026.
Your turn: Which Gujarat temple would you send a first-time visitor to, and at what time of day?
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